I think I'm a Roadie now...

Well, after 170 miles on The Diego, and 213 miles so far on the Roobay, I think I've made the transition. I'm a roadie. I no longer reach unconsciously for the flat bar brakes, I LOVE having multiple hand positions on my bike, I'm not askeered of my thin tires.

I went out for an easy spin today. "No effort, just an easy spin", I tell myself.

I see a roadie up ahead about three miles into it. "I can drop him". Fortunately, he goes left and I'm going right. I guess I'll never know.

About 6 miles later I stop at an intersection and some unseen roadie zooms by me and heads up a steep hill. "What a jerk" I decide, for no really good reason. I give chase.

I'm gaining on the guy going up a steep hill. He notices and kicks in the afterburners. I'm not sure anyone really kicks afterburners in, but the point is he takes off and leaves me in a puddle of emesis at the top of a hill.

So I'm cruising back through a subdivision, enjoying the warm air, smelling the honeysuckle, and slowing down after a nice ride. A chubby teenage girl approaches me on a Huffy.

"Not on my watch" I say, and I drop her like lead ballast. She doesn't notice, I don't think.

Somehow I feel good that I dropped her nonetheless.

Finally (this post is sort of a confessional), I get the saddle bag I'd ordered. I already had 4 saddlebags at home, but I ordered this one because it had little red pulls on the zippers, to match my helmet, bike, gloves, and the new sleeveless red jersey that also came in the mail today.

"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey

Well, after 170 miles on The Diego, and 213 miles so far on the Roobay, I think I've made the transition. I'm a roadie. I no longer reach unconsciously for the flat bar brakes, I LOVE having multiple hand positions on my bike, I'm not askeered of my thin tires.

Well, after 170 miles on The Diego, and 213 miles so far on the Roobay, I think I've made the transition. I'm a roadie. I no longer reach unconsciously for the flat bar brakes, I LOVE having multiple hand positions on my bike, I'm not askeered of my thin tires.

Yeah, I got bit by this too. I don't know when I'll get back on my Sedona -- it feels so heavy and clunky now. Plus they're paving a new stretch of the closest rail-trail, so I won't even need it to ride into town that way.

Spoke to a roadie at lunch, getting ready to do his first century of the year this weekend. Said he didn't have high expectations, just wanted to get a half-way decent time on a rolling hills course. I took the bait and asked what such a time would be and he said, "Well, I guess I'll be okay as long as its under 5 hours."

That's the kind of talk I want to hear coming from DG!

"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour

There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post

Spoke to a roadie at lunch, getting ready to do his first century of the year this weekend. Said he didn't have high expectations, just wanted to get a half-way decent time on a rolling hills course. I took the bait and asked what such a time would be and he said, "Well, I guess I'll be okay as long as its under 5 hours."

That's the kind of talk I want to hear coming from DG!

Right now, I do a century in just under five days. I guess there's always room for improvement!